Happy Thanksgiving!

~Thanksgiving 2008 ~

We spent Rachel's 1st Thanksgiving in Bend, OR last year. It was a lot of work:), but a lot of fun! We had a delicious family-style dinner at the Clubhouse. The day after Thanksgiving, we attended the festivities at the resort for kicking off the next holiday...Christmas! There was tree lighting, beautiful decorations, caroling, and Santa made his appearance. Fun times, but it probably did not leave a big impression on our "just turned 8 month old". Ah, gotta love pictures and video. Here are some of the pictures from last year. Hopefully we will be able to go back there and celebrate another year when she is a little older...

Pretty sky near our house there...

Ready for her 1st Thanksgiving dinner!

The sweet hostess took some family photos for us in front of the fireplace...it was so warm in there:)...

Rachel & Mommy...
And back at the house...anxiously awaiting her own turkey dinner...Sheena!
Just some pics that night...I was trying to get Rachel to smile...mission accomplished:)

She just wanted to stand and was "cruising" that weekend...

(Um, I had a hard time predicting what size she would wear thus the big clothes;))

Rachel & Daddy with the giant bear at The SunRiver Lodge!

(pink suede boots were picked out by Daddy during one of his shopping trips at Gymboree with Rachel & Mommy)

Rachel & Mommy with "Frosty"...

AND NOW...

~November 26, 2009~

A Thanksgiving Wish from all of us...

May you have a beautiful day spent celebrating and being thankful in your most favorite way.

May you be in Good Company...

eating Good Food...

and having Good Fun!

Be sure to take a few moments to reflect upon all of the blessings in your life.

May you find plenty of reasons to Be Thankful...

One of the Harvest Collages from our most recent photo session at Sears...

one week before Thanksgiving...

Mommy had a big helper on Thanksgiving Day! Rachel helped me make the Pumpkin Pies!

Here she is...yes, that is pumpkin all over her...she is quicker than I am sometimes:)...


"Just a few extra shakes of this pumpkin pie spice!"

"After you add the pumpkin pie spices, you have to stir it up really good!"

"Just a taste, okay, Mommy? I'll even use my own spoon this time!"

"That was yummy! Just look at my face:)"
"What do you mean I can't eat any more pumpkin pie batter?"

"How about a raw cranberry from Mommy's centerpiece?"

(They were fresh from the fridge. She ate three then the last two must have been too bitter as they ended up partly chewed and tossed back onto the centerpiece:)) Miss Rachel just up from her nap and ready for dinner.

The flowers on her sweater dress were pretty interesting:)...

Coat on - check!

Hat in hand - check!

Snack Trap in hand - check!

Ready to head out for Thanksgiving at our neighbor's house...

Rachel & Da-Da ready for dinner...
The day after Thanksgiving we made dinner at out house...turkey with all the fixins'...

Teacher Katherine would be SO proud. Rachel discovered a new musical instrument...

beaters make very good...maracas!

"Shake them way up high and..."

"tap and tap and tap and tap..."

Rachel is thankful for...cranberries! She loves them!

Dinner at our house...

***Yesterday I made a turkey pot pie for the first time. I was trying to think of a new way to use up the leftover turkey:)...It was a HUGE hit with Rachel and her Da-Da! I just loved sitting there watching her eat every little vegetable as well as all the turkey...it had potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, green beans, and celery. It was cute to listen to her take a bite and say "Mmmm,"...then I got the "yes" head shake when I asked if she wanted more and she says "Uh, huh" when she shakes it. We are enjoying it much more than the "No!" shake for everything.***